By Ravi Singh Negi
Amidst all others, unemployment is a major social issue of our country. It not only deteriorates the financial status of an individual but also make them socially excluded by lowering their self-esteem. This issue specially affects the young a lot.
In general, the unemployment of educated youth in India is attributed mainly to lack of sufficient jobs, faulty educational system, the caste system, inadequate economic growth, increase in population, etc. These are big issues and a college student or a college pass out cannot change the system. S/he has to face these obstacles. It also remains a fact that, despite studying in the same educational system and same environment, a few students get good jobs and succeed.
When you go for a job in a big concern, it is not a job for a person, or by a person, it is everything for an organisation, which has got a big goal to achieve – great fame and wealth. Organisations hire people to help them solve problems and find the best solutions. No matter what role you’re taking on, you’ll need to think creatively, analytically, and logically to understand why problems are happening and how to resolve them. So, the requirement of organisations is a combination of hard and soft skills in a candidate.
Hard skills are the professional degrees, which are provided by any university like engineering, law, medical, journalism, science, commerce, arts or skill development in the particular field. In the Indian scenario, students might secure good CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) but they remain unfit for the challenge they have to face at workplace because they have not learned anything outside the syllabus. Today’s market/job demands competent human resources, which can manage the rapidly changing environment smoothly – such as adequate and sufficient on the job training. Computer skills, language competency and social communication skills have become compulsory for all the jobs nowadays.
Having done extra short courses along with the university degree related to one’s stream provides additional weightage for the job interview and will provide special skills and confidence for the job.
Soft skills, on the other hand, are non-technical ones that involve how you work and interact with others. These skills refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make someone a good employee and compatible to work with. Soft skills apply to all kinds of jobs and careers and act as key in building relationships, gaining visibility, and creating more opportunities for advancement. These skills generally fall into several different categories such as: communication skills, leadership skills, teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills and time management skills. Hard skill may vary from job to job but soft skills are universal in nature. It helps an individual to think analytically, decide wisely and act harmonically with empathy as the core principle of life. Core values of humanity like love, compassion, gratitude, honesty and truthfulness are essential to learn to achieve success. Remember hard skills will give you an interview but soft skills will give you a job.
Shortage of jobs is illusive. For those who succeed, they succeed all over. For them, there is no dearth of jobs and those who fail, fail every time – for them there are no jobs anywhere. Why are those with master’s degrees or even PhDs are applying for jobs they are overqualified for? The reason is very simple – unemployed youth lack formal vocational education, inadequate industry ready skills, lack critical thinking and right decision-making. The solution is to equip yourself with required hard and soft skills. Whenever you apply for a job do not forget to include your soft skills in your resume indirectly. If you have sufficient skills, there is no shortage of jobs. You can even engage yourself in your own start-up business if you are well equipped and confident. Our youth should not fall prey to social media distractions but utilise their time to acquire extra skills other than university degrees. Also don’t waste your time in delusive thinking “mein kuchh badaa karnaa chahta hu”, but start with what you want to do.
(Ravi Singh Negi is an Advocate and Academic Counsellor)
